Date: 10/6/25 3:19 pm From: Hawkcount.Org Reports <reports...> Subject: Waggoner's Gap (06 Oct 2025) 90 Raptors
Waggoner's Gap 40 km W of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Oct 06, 2025 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- BV 0 7 7 TV 52 124 124 OS 1 14 143 BE 5 28 259 NH 0 4 83 SS 19 221 1536 CH 3 24 86 AG 0 0 0 RS 0 0 4 BW 1 15 10262 RT 1 23 156 RL 0 0 0 GE 0 4 6 AK 4 12 131 ML 0 2 23 PG 0 8 29 UA 2 4 18 UB 1 1 13 UF 0 1 3 UE 0 0 0 UR 1 9 29 SK 0 0 1
Observation start time: 07:30:00 Observation end time: 15:15:00 Total observation time: 6.5 hours
Official Counter: Jess Cosentino
Observers: Gene Wagner
Visitors: 13 plus one dog
Weather: Another day with a painfully cloudless blue sky for the entire count period, Wind was light to moderate from the southeast for most of the morning, High of 79 F
Raptor Observations: The migration pace was a slow crawl for the entire count period, paired with less-than-ideal sky conditions for spotting high migrant raptors made for some challenging counting
The first migrant raptor of the day did not pass until well into the 10 AM hour window, as a Sharp-shinned Hawk cut low along the north side of the ridge. The Sharpies would continue passing all day, but at rates between 1 and 6 birds per hour.
Small groups of Turkey Vultures slowly drifted in from the north, kettling along the ridge before gliding southwest directly overhead and continuing onward. A steady stream of migrant Turkey Vultures continued into the final hours of the count, when most other raptor species seemed absent from the sky.
Several local Bald Eagles and Red-tailed Hawks floated on thermals througout the day, with only a few migrants passing south.
A single Broad-winged appeared distant to the south of the ridge, spending time to cut north until reaching the ridge and continuing south from there. This juvenile Broad-winged Hawk could potentially be our last of the season,as the final migrants trickle south from the northern latitudes en route for southern wintering grounds thousands of miles away.
Despite a slow migration pace, there was good species diversity on the day with eight migratory raptor species documented throughout the count period.
Non-raptor Observations: Chimney Swift 5, Red-bellied Woodpecker 2, Hairy Woodpecker 1, Northern Flicker 2, Blue Jay 9, Cedar Waxwing 1, Carolina Wren 1, Red-breasted Nuthatch 1, American Robin 2, American Pipit 3, Cape May Warbler 1, Black-throated Blue Warbler 1, Palm Warbler 1, Black-throated Green Warbler 1, Monarch 18
Predictions: Tomorrow's (Tuesday) forecast is calling for 40% chance of rain; however, it seems to be for the later afternoon so we should get in a complete count, South winds
Wednesday: Following the passage of Tuesday's front, the rain may linger into Wednesday morning. Unclear if it will end up being a clear day or not, but winds will have shifted to north in the hours following sunrise so there will likely be some raptor migrants (see: Sharp-shinned Hawks) jumping on the opportunity to move south once it does
Thursday: Temps will cool dramatically compared to this past weekend, High around 59-60 F, with a steady (10 mph) variable N/NE wind throughout the count period. This is shaping up to be a good migration day and will likely bring good birds as we enter into the weekend ======================================================================== Report submitted by WG Counter ()
